AthlonSports.com - Norris Colehttp://athlonsports.com/category/nba-players/norris-cole
enWho Is Norris Cole?http://athlonsports.com/news/who-norris-cole
<div class="field field-name-field-teaser field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">&lt;p&gt;
Miami Heat rookie, Norris Cole, was key is sealing last night&#039;s victory against the Boston Celtics&lt;/p&gt;
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<em>by Josh Kipnis</em></p>
<p>
Google his name, and a fictional soap opera character is all you will find.&nbsp; Click on his bio on NBA.com and you will find they haven’t even bothered writing one.&nbsp; Ever heard of Norris Benjamin Cole?&nbsp; Didn’t think so.</p>
<p>
The Miami Heat defeated the Boston Celtics last night, 115-107.&nbsp; LeBron James and Dwayne Wade each scored over 20 points, but it was Miami’s rookie sensation, Norris Cole, who stole the show.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
The Celtics were without Paul Pierce for a second straight game and it seemed as though they would not have nearly enough offensive firepower to compete with the most elite team in the league.&nbsp; Boston trailed by as much as twenty at one point.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen refused to concede, catching fire early in the fourth.&nbsp; They trimmed the lead down to three with one minute remaining in the game.&nbsp; Doc Rivers called a timeout to discuss the ensuing Heat possession.</p>
<p>
In a situation like this one, Rivers had to pick his poison.&nbsp; Which of the Big 3 do you want taking the final shot?&nbsp; James, Wade, and Bosh had already combined to score 68 points.</p>
<p>
LeBron held the ball on the left elbow, jab stepping and looking as if he was about to throw up his signature fade away.&nbsp; The shot clock struck four and in the corner of his eye was Cole at the top of the key, practically begging for the ball.&nbsp; Cole caught the pass and pump faked a three, sending Rondo off balance, allowing the rookie to take a dribble inside the arc and drill the open jumper with 2.3 on the shot clock (gotta love the much-needed milliseconds on the shot clock).&nbsp; Who is this guy?</p>
<p>
Norris Cole was the 28<sup>th</sup> overall pick in this year’s draft.&nbsp; The pick belonged to the Chicago Bulls, but they traded his rights to the T-Wolves who then dealt him to the Heat.&nbsp; The 6 foot 2 inch, 23 year old was the Horizon League Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year his senior season at Cleveland State.</p>
<p>
Cole was absolutely sensational in Miami’s home opener.&nbsp; He was 8 of 16 in the field with 20 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals.&nbsp; 14 of his 20 came in the 4<sup>th</sup> quarter.&nbsp; In the final three minutes, he scored 9 straight points.</p>
<p>
“You grow up and live for moments like that,” Cole said after the game.&nbsp; Cole was then asked if this would be a common theme in the future.&nbsp; “It’s only my second game; I don’t know what normal is.”&nbsp;</p>
<p>
I can tell you what isn’t normal, a rookie receiving MVP chants in his second NBA game.</p>
<p>
With 9.3 seconds left, Cole approached the free throw line.&nbsp; “MVP! MVP! MVP!”&nbsp; It wasn’t for James, Wade, or Bosh; it was for the rookie whose talents somehow landed in South Beach.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-60 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">NBA Teams:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/nba-teams/miami-heat">Miami Heat</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/nba-teams/boston-celtics">Boston Celtics</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-61 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">NBA Players:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/nba-players/lebron-james">LeBron James</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/nba-players/norris-cole">Norris Cole</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/nba-players/dwayne-wade">Dwayne Wade</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/nba-players/chris-bosh">Chris Bosh</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/nba-players/rajon-rondo">Rajon Rondo</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/category/nba-players/ray-allen">Ray Allen</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/category/nba-players/doc-rivers">Doc Rivers</a></div></div></div>Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:27:53 +0000Josh Kipnis8365 at http://athlonsports.com